This invention relates to a tool such as a level, and more particularly to a magnet mounting feature for a level.
A level generally includes at least one bubble vial secured to a frame or a rail of the level. The bubble vial provides an indication as to the orientation of the level, e.g., relative to a horizontal, vertical, or a diagonal plane. The vial contains a quantity of fluid and a bubble, and the user views the position of the bubble within the vial to ascertain the position of the tool relative to the desired plane. Frequently, it is desirable to determine the orientation of magnetically attractive materials such as beams, rails, posts, hangers, and the like.
To allow hands-free engagement of a level with a magnetically attractive object, some prior art levels provide a magnet attached to an exterior surface of the frame of the level. This provision of a magnetic member in a level presents a number of manufacturing challenges. Firstly, the frame of a magnetic level must include a feature that enables the magnet to be secured to the frame. For example, one prior art construction involves a groove formed in one of the gauging surfaces of the level, and a magnetic strip that is secured within the groove, such as by means of an adhesive. This requires the level manufacturer to produce a level frame that is specifically adapted for use in manufacturing a magnetic level. Since a manufacturer will often include in its product line a magnetic and a non-magnetic version of essentially the same level, the manufacturer must produce one level frame for the magnetic version and one level frame for the non-magnetic version. Secondly, assembly of the magnetic member, such as the magnetic strip, to the frame of the level requires a labor intensive and time-consuming step in the manufacturing process. In addition, the mounting of the magnetic member to the level frame must be accomplished such that the magnetic member does not protrude beyond the gauging surface of the level, such that the magnetic member does not interfere with the accuracy of the level.
The present invention provides a level construction that overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a tool such as a level includes a frame defining an upstanding member and a laterally extending member that extends from the upstanding member. The frame defines a gauging surface adapted for placement on a workpiece. Magnetic retainer means is secured to the frame laterally of the upwardly extending member and above the laterally extending member, and is operable to apply a magnetic force to a magnetically attractive workpiece through the laterally extending member. Representatively, the upstanding member may be in the form of a web and the laterally extending member may be in the form of one or more flanges that extend laterally from the web. The laterally extending member may include an upstanding lip at a location spaced from the upstanding member, which cooperates with the web and the laterally extending member to define a channel that faces in a direction opposite that of the gauging surface defined by the laterally extending member. The magnetic means may be in the form of one or more magnetic members engaged within the channel. The one or more magnetic members are operable to maintain the level in engagement with a magnetically attractive workpiece, by virtue of a magnetic field that passes through the laterally extending member and that applies a magnetic force that acts on the magnetically attractive workpiece to maintain the gauging surface of the level on the workpiece.
The one or more magnetic members may be engaged within the channel by means of facing engagement structure formed in the upstanding member and the lip. In one form, one or more magnet carriers include side edges that are engaged with the engagement structure, and one or more magnets are secured to each magnet carrier so that the magnet carriers function to maintain the magnets in engagement with the level frame. The level frame may be formed in an extrusion process, such that that the engagement structure is in the form of a slot or groove in the lip, and a bead or protrusion in the upstanding member, which extend throughout the length of the frame and open unto the ends of the frame. With this construction, the magnet carriers can be engaged within the slots or grooves and slid to a desired position along the length of the frame, and then maintained in axial position on the frame in any satisfactory manner, such as by use of an adhesive or the like.
The invention contemplates a tool such as a level having one or more magnets interconnected with a frame as summarized above, as well as a method of mounting one or more magnets to the frame of a tool such as a level, also in accordance with the foregoing summary.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.